Calcutta HC forms three- member committee to probe Narada videos

The committee will comprise a CBI officer, one police officer of the rank of inspector general and another court appointed officer.

The Calcutta High Court formed a three-member committee on Monday, to probe the Narada videos.(UNI Photo)

The Calcutta High Court formed a three-member committee on Monday, to probe the Narada videos.

A division bench comprising chief justice Manjula Chellur announced the decision during the hearing of a batch of PILs on the controversial tapes. The committee will comprise a CBI officer, one police officer of the rank of inspector general and another court appointed officer. The names of these officers haven’t been announced.

The DGP of state police will depute an officer of IGP rank, while the CBI officer will be deputed by DIG of CBI. The committee will work under the supervision of the court.

Narada News had earlier released three sets of videos of its sting operation, where top Trinamool leaders were allegedly seen accepting bribes from journalists posing as businessmen.

The committee will go to Delhi and collect the tapes from Mathew Samuel, head of Naradanews.com who was the author of the sting operations.

Last week, while appearing for Bengal’s ruling party in the court, Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee had opposed the idea that the Narada videos be kept with the CBI for safekeep. He argued that the CBI was influenced by the ruling party at the Centre.

Samuel, meanwhile, argued that the inquiry did not make any sense.

“I have heard that Trinamool Congress has started an internal inquiry. I don’t understand what’s the meaning of this inquiry since they are not even accepting that they have taken money from me, be it bribe or donation,” he said.